Let's hear it for the return of the prodigals and a festival at Bert's

Familiarity may not always breed contempt, but it does tend to diminish appreciation. The biggest criticism regularly levelled at Hong Kong's jazz scene - by audiences and musicians alike - is that, although we have some fine resident players, we tend to see the same ones all the time, even if they show up in different configurations.

True enough, and partly for that reason, good musicians move on to pastures new. However, many seem to like the town enough to come back when they can, and a number of prodigals are making a temporary return to the fold this week.

The first of these is British born singer/actress Alexia Gardner, who came up through the British cabaret circuit before establishing herself as a notable jazz singer on the Asian jazz bar and club scene.

Gardner now lives in Shanghai - along with a number of other ex-Hong Kong jazz players who have found work easier to come by up there - but has also played extended residencies, largely in hotel lounges, in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and Beijing.

The album has now received its first proper commercial release in Hong Kong, with new cover art, and is available at Jazz World in Melbourne Plaza, with wider distribution to other record stores apparently to follow shortly.